OUR SAY: Border policy devoid of compassion

OUR SAY: Border policy devoid of compassion

IT is one thing to have strong border protection and no one would argue the need for it particularly to control the flow of any material that may threaten our biosecurity.

It is also obviously important to know exactly who is entering Australia at any point of time.

What doesn't make sense is the ideological craziness that deems as appropriate indefinite detention in offshore gulags as a deterrent to stop people getting in boats and potentially drowning themselves in a bid to gain asylum from war or persecution.

Better ways of achieving that outcome have to be found than the hugely expensive and psychologically damaging process now being enforced.

It also takes a special kind of cruelty to deny a naturalised citizen the right to, at their own expense, look after an aged parent in their last years, whatever nationality that person may be.

Compassion is sadly lacking from a policy that deems otherwise.

Surgeon Krishna Rao is being put through hoops that shouldn't exist to do just that - care for his 91-year-old father who is a widower.